Drama will be broadcast Feb 23rd
Feb 15, 2010 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament, FOI in the news
The dramatisation of my campaign to open up Parliament now has a date.
On Expenses (formerly Bringing Down the House) will have its first broadcast on BBC4 at 9pm on Tuesday February 23rd. Don’t miss it!! I’ve done an interview with Martin Bell for the Radio Times and will be in tomorrow’s (Feb 16th) Woman’s [...]
Casting announced for expenses film
Dec 9, 2009 FOI in Parliament, FOI in the news
Filming began on Saturday for the BBC4 Drama ‘Bringing Down the House’ about my battle with the House of Commons for MPs’ expense receipts. Today the cast list was published.
Two-time BAFTA winner Anna Maxwell Martin is holding her own against a slew of older men playing the parts of the old boys network in [...]
Expect libel reform now that MPs are affected
Dec 7, 2009 FOI in Parliament, FOI in the news
To some it might seem that today’s article in the Guardian is bad news:
Super-injunctions do limit freedom of speech, Speaker’s lawyers advise
• Guidance contradicts justice minister’s stance
• Select committee fears for parliamentary privilege
But that is to overlook the historic tradition whereby MPs don’t give a fig about the invasion of our privacy, civil liberties or [...]
Public locked out: FOI won’t cover private prisons
Nov 11, 2009 FOI in Parliament, Justice & Courts, Law Enforcement
Despite being paid for by the public, prisons operated under government contract by private companies such as Group 4 will not be covered by a proposed extension of the freedom of information act. This marks a dangerous shift in which public services paid for by us are no longer accountable to us because they have [...]
When Heather met Paxman
Oct 13, 2009 Campaigns, Central Government, FOI in Parliament, FOI in the news, Freedom of Information
The story that keeps on giving has given me another blast on the airwaves. I’ve been on the TV and radio the last few days talking about the internal audit done on MPs’ expenses in which several hundred MPs have been asked to pay back money. I’ve been brutal, accepting only a few requests due [...]
A small victory for openness
Oct 4, 2009 Campaigns, FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
The Committee on Standards in Public Life has now decided to publish my statement in full after I complained vociferously against their timid lawyers’ claims that it was potentially defamatory.
I received an email while away on holiday the other week: “The Committee having weighed the risks decided to publish the submission.”
It is available to [...]
Video: My talk to the Centre of Investigative Journalism
Sep 18, 2009 Central Government, FOI in Parliament
Here is a talk I gave to the Centre of Investigative Journalism this summer, for those interested in hearing the full tale of how I battled to obtain MPs’ expenses.
Public inquiry details ‘potentially defamatory’ statements
Aug 28, 2009 FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
I received a letter today from the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Very nice people but sadly lacking the boldness to stand up to their lawyers. I’ve re-published my statement below along with the requested censoring so you can see exactly how little free speech we have in this country.
All requested ‘redactions’ are [...]
The blacked out bits
Aug 28, 2009 FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
The requested redacted (eg censored) version tof my statement which the Committee has asked me to approve. Requested censoring in bold.
What keeps people out of power and out of politics is the lack of access to meaningful and useful information. My experience since 2004 has been that Parliament greedily hoards information as a miser does [...]
A funny thing happened to my parliamentary evidence…
Aug 27, 2009 FOI in Parliament, Freedom of Information
Readers may recall that on 30th June 2009 I gave evidence to the Committee on Standards in Public Life as part of their inquiry into MPs’ allowances. I gave oral evidence and also submitted an opening statement. I posted this statement on my blog (read it here) and the Committee posted it on their website [...]
